| 1 | 1 | | 88R4805 CXP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hinojosa H.B. No. 1276 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the reduction of methane gas flaring on land dedicated |
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| 8 | 8 | | to the permanent university fund. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 66, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 66.455 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 66.455. METHANE FLARING REDUCTION POLICY. The board |
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| 13 | 13 | | of regents of The University of Texas System shall adopt a formal |
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| 14 | 14 | | policy goal to eliminate routine methane flaring on university |
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| 15 | 15 | | lands by 2027. |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 66, Education Code, is |
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| 17 | 17 | | amended by adding Section 66.711 to read as follows: |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 66.711. METHANE FLARING REDUCTION PLANS. (a) Under |
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| 19 | 19 | | each lease issued, modified, or renewed under this subchapter |
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| 20 | 20 | | relating to oil or gas, the lessee shall submit to the board a plan |
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| 21 | 21 | | to end routine methane flaring in accordance with the policy goal |
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| 22 | 22 | | adopted by the board of regents under Section 66.455. The plan |
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| 23 | 23 | | must: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) include provisions that prohibit routine methane |
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| 25 | 25 | | flaring; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) for all new and existing sources, require |
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| 27 | 27 | | operators to adhere to the United States Environmental Protection |
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| 28 | 28 | | Agency's new source performance standards for methane emissions; |
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| 29 | 29 | | and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) require the lessee to implement quarterly |
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| 31 | 31 | | inspections and maintenance for the detection of malfunctioning and |
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| 32 | 32 | | unlit flares using leak detection equipment, such as optical gas |
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| 33 | 33 | | imaging cameras, and for the repair of those flares. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (b) The board shall review and approve or reject each plan |
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| 35 | 35 | | submitted under Subsection (a) according to procedures adopted by |
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| 36 | 36 | | the board. The University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology shall |
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| 37 | 37 | | assist the board and lessees in matters relating to the plans. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (c) In adopting procedures to implement this section, the |
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| 39 | 39 | | board may apply to new facilities and existing facilities that have |
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| 40 | 40 | | been modified after initial construction more stringent standards |
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| 41 | 41 | | than the standards the board applies to other facilities. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 3. Not later than June 1, 2024, the Board for Lease |
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| 43 | 43 | | of University Lands shall adopt procedures implementing Section |
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| 44 | 44 | | 66.711, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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